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FORT MEIGS. 



R CONDENSED HISTORY 



IVIost Important IVLilitary Point in 
the Northwest, 



-TOGETHER WITH- 



Scenes and Incidents connected witli the Sieges of 1 8 1 3, 



A Minute Description of the Old Fort and its Surroundings, 
as they now Appear. 



JAMES P. AVERILL. 



TOLEDO, OHIO: 

BLADE PRINTING AND PAPER CO. 

1886. 



-agfc. 






BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OP FT. MEIGS, FROM THE NURTII. 







THK MAUIVLKE RIVKR. 







^H^HE Maumee E.IVEB (or 
^^ "Miami of the Lake," 



'Y^' as it was called during 

i- the war of 1812), was known 

by the Wyandotte Indians as 

'^■-^-p " Cagh-a-ren-dn-te," or " Stand- 

^ ing Rock river," named from 

an elevated rock located in the 

middle of the stream, about a 



UP THE VALLEY FROM THE FORT. BATTLE-FIELD mdc abOVe tllC prCSCUt tOWU 
OF FALLEN TIMBERS IN THE DISTANCE. . ii i i ,i 

of vVaterviUe, called by the 
French, " Hoch de Boeuf." The Shawanoese (pronounced Sha- 
wa-no) named the stream the " Ot-ta-wa-sepe," or Ottawa river. 
The Ottawas had several towns on the river as late as 1812, on 
the rapids above Ft. Meigs, arid also along Maumee Bay and 
the lake shore. The name " Maumee " is claimed by some writers 
to be a corruption of that given it by the French in the seven- 
teenth century — "Au Miami;" it is authentically stated, how- 
ever, that for centuries prior to this the beautiful stream had 
been known by the Indians who had retained possession of it 
despite the efforts of contending tribes, as " Mau-raee" — " Mother 
of Waters." It is a well-known fact that the Indians who 
lingered here to the last, loth to depart, fondly spoke of it as the 
" Maumee," the appropriate name which it will always hereafter 
retain. It is formed by a junction of the St. Joseph and St. 
Marys rivers at Ft. Wayne, Ind., runs in a northeasterly direc- 
tion and empties into Lake Erie; its principal branch is the 
Auglaize, which joins it at Defiance. It is navigable for large 
boats as far as Ft. Meigs, immediately above the town of Per- 
rysburg, on the right bank, and from this point, for many miles 
above, the stream is a succession of rapids, and its bed limestone 
rock. 






ff'^'"^5Er,. ^^r 




ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE FORT, \\HKRE THE MAIN BRITISH BATTERIES 

WERE PLANTED. 







ACROSS THE FORT AND D )WN THE VALLEY, FROM THE WEST ANGLE. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



MILITARY STATIONS IN THE MAUMEE VALLEY. 

J|fDHERE is no region throughout the country more replete 
^^^ with scenes of great historic interest (from the early date 



•'^(^' of the French and Indian wars to the war of 1812) than 
the Maumee Valley, and the most important and interesting of 
them come within the vision of one standing upon the breezy 
heights of old Ft. Meigs. The most prominent points, in chro- 
nolooical order, are the following : 

1st. Ft. Miaj^ii, fifteen miles from the mouth of the river, 
on the north or left bank. Established in 1(580, by an expedition 
sent there by Frontenac, Governor of Canada, it was a militarv 
and trading post and was soon abandoned. By order of Glencoe, 
the Canadian Governor, it was re-occupied in 1785 as a miUtary 
post, and was so occupied when Gen. Anthony Wayne de- 
feated the Indian nations, at the battle of " Fallen Timbers," 
August 20, 1794. In 17U5 it was again abandoned, pursuant to 
treaty provisions between Great Britain and the United States. 
Again it was occupied by British soldiers under General Proctor 
during the siege of Ft. Meigs, in 1813. The outlines of some 
of its old bastions and embankments are still plainly defined. 

2d. Ft. Defiance. ^"ovember 4, 1791, Gen. St. Clair, 
at the head of 2,000 regulars, had suffered a crushing defeat at 
the hands of the Indians at Greenville, Darke county, and soon 
afterward Gen. Anthony Wayne was placed in command of 
the Western army. Gen. Wayne built Ft. Greenville in 
December, 1793, and organized an army of 3,000 troops, among 
whom were 1,600 mounted Kentuckians under Gen. Scott. 
Late in July, 1794, with this army he commenced his march to 
the Miami of the Lakes (Maumee); August 8 they arrived at the 
confluence of the Miami of the Lakes and the Auglaize, where 



6 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

they found a highly cultivated country, with apple and peach 
orchards — evidences of the industry of the French and some of 
the most civilized Indian tribes. Here, with great rapidity and 
fine military engineering, a strong fort was built and appropri- 
ately named Ft. Defiance, the remains of which are still to be 
seen. 

3d. Fallen Timbers. August 16, 1794, Gen. Wayne, 
leaving a sufficient force at Ft. Defiance, moved down the left 
bank of the river ; on the 18th a small fortification for the deposit 
of military stores was erected at Eoch de Boeuf, a mile above the 
present village of Waterville, and named Ft. Deposit. Five 
miles below this point, on the morning of the 20th, Gen. 
Wayne's troops encountered the allied Indian forces commanded 
by the young and intrepid chief, Turkey Foot; the conflict, 
short, sharp and decisive, terminated in the overwhelming defeat 
of the Indians. It is known as the " Battle of Fallen Timbers," 
and was one of the most important in its results that had ever 
been fought with the Indian tribes, for it ended in a final treaty 
of peace at Greenville, and concluded the persecutions of the 
pioneer settlers. This was chosen by Turkey Foot as his battle- 
ground, because a hurricane had windrowed the forest trees, 
making an almost insurmountable obstruction to Wayne's 
mounted troops and a natural fortification for the Indians. 
Wayne, however, came upon them lil-:e the winds that had laid 
low the giants of the forest, his soldiers partaking of his own 
irresistible courage and fighting qualities ; " Mad Anthony," by 
reason of this, was afterward known among the various Indian 
tribes as " Che-no-tin " — translated, " the Whirlwind." Near the 
base of Presque Isle Hill (an abrupt and narrow point of land, 
which extends like a promontory toward the river, and which 
was also a portion of the battle ground) and a few yards distant 
from the water, is an immense bowlder, afterward carved by the 
Indians with representations of turkeys' feet, in memory of their 
beloved chieftain who fell there during the conflict. Thus we 
are indebted to the savages for the only monument to mark the 
many histoiic spots in the valley. Lieut. Harrison (afterward 
Commander-in-Chief of the Northwestern army) was an aid-de- 
camp to Gen. Wayne in this campaign. 

4th. Ft. Industry. Wayne pursued the Indians down 
the river until they took refuge under the guns of Ft. Miami, 



Historical Sketch op Ft. Meigs. 7 

then garrisoned by some British regulars under Major Campbell. 
The latter's warning to the American troops to keep their dis- 
tance or he wonld fire upon them, was answered by a demand 
from Wayne to know the reason why British troops were thus 
occupying American territory ; the reply from Campbell was 
that he was acting under the orders of his superior officer, and 
that he should maintain his position unless otherwise instructed. 
Not feeling authorized, at this juncture, to open a war with Great 
Britain, Gen. Wayne marched his troops past the fort, out of 
range of the guns, and, halting at the mouth of Swan Creek, 
seven miles below, built Ft. Industry, and garrisoned it with a 
small force under Lieut. Rhea, by whom it continued to be occu- 
pied for several years. From this time until the raising of the 
second siege of Ft. Meigs, Julv 28, 1813, the British government 
held a precarious claim to the territory northwest of the Maumee 
river, and their agents from Canada influenced the Indians to aid 
them in holding it. 

5th. Ft. Wayne. Upon the completion of Ft. Industr}'-, 
Gen. Wayne marched his army back up the river to the pres- 
ent site of the city of Ft. Wayne, and there, in the fall of 1794, 
constructed the military fort which was named in his honor, at 
the confluence of the two rivers which form the Maumee ; leaving 
it strongly garrisoned, he withdrew his main force to Greenville, 
where the famous treat}^ of peace was consummated with Little 
Turtle. 

6th. Ft. Meigs. This, the most important and imposing 
of the fortifications in the Maumee Valley and the great North- 
west, was constructed by Gen. Harrison's troops under the 
superintendence of Capt. Wood, of the engineer's corps, early in 
1813, and is made the interesting subject of this sketch. The 
author has attempted the task with no pretensions of ofl'ering 
anything oi'iginal, but, in view of the wide-spread interest which 
has recently been awakened in this historic spot, he gives to the 
pubhc a compilation of facts and incidents taken from the best 
accredited authorities, inckuling the official reports of General 
Harrison. 




DOWN THK KAVINE TOWARD PEKRYSHIRG, FROM THE NORTH ANGLE, LOOKING 

EAST; DUDLEY BURLA.L GROUND ON THE RIGHT, MARKED BY A 

DEAD WALNUT TREE. 



HISTORICAL 



IM PORTA NT EVENTS PRECEDING THE SIEGE OF FT. MEIGS. 




M|N April, 1812, the Indians, 
i^^ls stimulated by 



by the English 
"4^" in Canada, had become 
quite hostile along tlie waters of 
Lakes Erie, Huron and Michi- 
o-an, and the inhabitants of the 
Michigan territory were utterly 
detenseless. War with England 
was imminent — a war to com- 
pel her to discontinue her viola- 
tion of the treaty of 1783. A 
requisition was made by the 
President upon Gov. Meigs, of 
Ohio, for 1,200 militia to pro- 
tect the border, and m obedi- 
ence to the call, orders were 
issued to the Major-Gen erals 
of the western and middle divisions to furnish their respective 
quotas of men, and rendezvous at Dayton, April 29. May 25 
following. Gen. Wm. Hull, having been appointed to conduct 
the expedition, took command, and the troops commenced the 
line of march for the northwest July 1, proceeding via Staunton, 
Urbana, Ft. Mc Arthur (on the Scioto), Ft. Necessity, Ft. Findlay 
(on Blanchard^s Fork of the Auglaize), thence to the foot of the 
rapids of the Maumee river. From Ft. McArthur to the rapids 
the route was through a dense and trackless forest, 150 miles in 
length. June 26, while at Ft. Findlay, Gen. Hull received dis- 
patches from the Secretary of War, notifying him that war had 



DOWN THE SMALL RAVINE, OFF THE EAST 
ANGLE OF THE FORT. 



10 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

been declared against England, Leaving Ft. Findlay June 27, 
the army arrived on the banks of the Maumee (near the site 
afterward appropriated for the building of Ft. Meigs), on the 
30th. One who was with Hull's army (writing the history of 
the expedition in 1815), thus speaks of their arrival at the river: 

"The 30th was a joyous day; the army suddenly emerged 
from a gloomy wilderness, 150 miles in extent, to a full view of 
the broad Miami (Maumee), and its elysian banks. Never was 
the power of contrast more sensibly felt; in the rear stood a 
boundless forest — the abode of f]'ightful beasts of prey and unre- 
lenting savages; in front was presented to the ravished senses a 
scene at once gay and magnificent beyond description. Under 
the eyes rolled a beautiful river ; on its opposite margin arose a 
smiling village ; to the right and the left, as far as the eye could 
reach, were seen enameled meadows clad in the rich luxuriance 
of a summer's dress." 

At this point Lieut. E.obt. Davidson, and twenty-five men of 
CoL Cass' regiment, were left for the purpose of building a block- 
house, while the balance of the troops proceeded to Detroit, where 
they arrived July 5 ; July 29, the British colonel. Proctor, placed 
his troops at Maiden, cutting off the supplies of the American 
army from Ohio. August 16, Gen. Hull surrendered his whole 
army. Mackinaw and Ft. Dearborn were soon afterward cap- 
tured by the Indians, and all of the noi'thwest, excepting Ft. 
Wayne and Ft. Harrison (which were both attacked, the latter 
being defended b}^ troops under command of Zachary Taj' lor), 
was in the hands of the British and Indians. At this time, at 
the foot of the Maumee rapids was the only white settlement 
between Lower Sandusky (Fremont) and Frenchtown (Monroe), 
Mich. 

Previous to the surrender at Detroit, the Governors of Ohio 
and Kentuclvy, in obedience to orders from the War Department, 
had sent powerful reinforcements to the aid of Gen. Hull, and 
had he delayed the capitulation a few days, his army would have 
been saved. The forces advancing to his sujiport were 2,000 
militia and Col. R. M. Johnston's battalion of mounted riflemen, 
of Kentucky, under Gen. Payne; a brigade of Ohio militia under 
Gen. Tupper, of Gallia county, and 1,000 regulars under Gen. 
"Winchester. They had arrived at the St. Marys river when the 
news of the surrender reached them. It was a time when a 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 11 

great military commander was needed to save the country from 
dire disaster. The Governor of Kentucky brevetted William 
Henrv Harrison a Major-General, who was made Commander in- 
Chief of the northwestern army, Sept. IT, 1812; it was while at 
Piqua that he first received the official dis]-)atch from Washing- 
ton notifying him of iiis appointment. His army then consisted 
of regular troops, rangers, volunteers and militia from Ohio and 
Kentucky, and detached militia and volunteers from Virginia 
and Pennsylvania. Major Stoddard, senior officer of artillery, 
was ordered to report to him with all of the artillery which could 
be collected ; Major Denny, of Pittsburg, received the contract 
for furnishing supplies (stores and munitions), and Col. Buford, 
Deputy Commissioner, at Lexington, Ky., was supplied with 
funds subject to Gen. Harrison's order. Harrison's general in- 
structions were to retake Detroit, with a view to the conquest of 
Upper Canada, and to penetrate that country as soon as practica- 
ble. Gen. Harrison's plan was to collect the troops at Wooster, 
TJrbana, Ft. Defiance and St. Marys, and from these points con- 
centrate them at the foot of the rapids on the Maumee, the pro- 
ject of a forced march to Detroit being made an after considera- 
tion. The base line of the new campaign extended from Upper 
Sandusky to St. Marys, and these two places, with Ft. McArthur 
(near the present city of Kenton), were intended as the depots, 
for provisions, artillery and military stores. The troops at Ft. 
Defiance were intended as a corps of observation, and were to- 
advance to the foot of the rapids after the artillery liad arrived at 
Upper Sanduskv. A corps of observation was also stationed at 
Lower Sandusky (Fremont), the northeastern extremity of the 
military base. This arrangement covered the frontier at every 
threatened ])oint, and the various quartermasters were busily 
engaged in accumulating supplies and transportation, in anticipa- 
tion of the advance of the main army to the objective point— th& 
foot of the rapids on the Maumee. 

In the meantime. Gen. Winchester was in command of the 
troops at Ft. Wayne, still ignorant of the fact that Gen. Harrison 
had been appointed Commander-in-Chief. The latter was at St. 
Marys, where 3,000 troops had been collected, when information 
was received that a large force of British and Indians, with artil- 
lery, were passing up the left bank of the Maumee to attack Ft. 
Wayne, and feeling confident that Gen. Winchester's force was 



12 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

strong enough to resist the enemy, Gen. Harrison started with 
his troops on a forced march to Ft. Defiance to intercept them. 
This was early in October, 1812; the country was in a terrible 
•condition, on account of recent heavy rains, and it was not until 
the close of the second day's weary march that the troops reached 
the Auglaize and encamped for the night. "^The march was re- 
sumed at daybreak the next morning, and in the course of the 
next day Gen. Harrison met an officer from Gen. Winchester, 
who informed him that the latter had advanced to Ft. Defiance, 
and the enemy had fled. Harrison arrived at Ft. Defiance that 
night. The day following he had a conference with Gen. Win- 
chester, placing him in command of the left wing of the army, and 
assigning him his part in the contemplated general operations. 
Gen. E. W. Tupper (who had joined the army with about 1,000 vol- 
unteers, raised principally in his own county, Gallia, and Lawrence 
and Jackson counties), was given command of the central division, 
with headquarters at Ft. McArthur. Harrison took personal 
command of the right wing, with lieadquarters at Upper San- 
dusky. 

At this time the main British troops, under Gen. Proctor, 
were at Detroit and Maiden, and the officers were in ignorance 
of the military preparatitms in Ohio. Their Indian allies were 
raiding throughout the country, mostly in small detached bands, 
a large party of them being engaged in foraging for corn and 
hogs on the rich bottom lands along the Maumee rapids. 

Several minor conflicts occurred with the Indians during the 
winter, but nothing of importance transpired until January 10, 
1813, when Gen. Winchester arrived with his troops from Defi 
ance at the foot of the rapids. Messengers reached him here from 
the inhabitants of Frenchtown (Monroe), on the river Raisin, im- 
ploring protection, as they were exposed to the hostility of the 
British and Indians. Thereupon, on January IT, Col. Lewis, with 
550 men, was sent over the frozen waters of the river and lake 
to their succor, followed soon afterward with 110 more men under 
Col. Allen. They arrived on the afternoon of the ISth, and after 
a sharp conflict gained possession of the village, and immediately 
commenced the erection of defenses and sent for reinforcements. 
On the 19th Winchester started to support them with 259 men, 
reaching his destination the next evening. He committed the 
folly, however, of encamping on the open ground, neglecting the 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Mekjs. 13: 

precaution of erecting earthworks or stationing advanced picket 
guards. At daybreak they were aroused by the discharge of 
grapeshot from a British battery, erected within 300 yards of 
their camp, and the yells of the savages who had surrounded them 
upon every side. The result was inevitable ; and those of Win- 
chester's troops who escaped death or capture (which were pro- 
portionately few in number), fled, Winchester and Lewis being 
among the prisoners. The party who were stationed behind their 
slight defenses still retained their position, but, under the order 
of Winchester (who was persuaded by Proctor's old argument of 
an irrepressible Indian massacre in case of continued resistance)^ 
they surrendered. The pernicious Proctor's pledge was broken, 
however, and the scene of massacre which followed on the suc- 
ceeding night and day forms one of the most hideous chapters in 
the history of our country. Of the American army, over 900 
strong, one-third were killed in battle, or in the massacre which 
followed, and but 33 escaped capture. 

On the night of the 16th, Harrison (who was then at Upper- 
Sandusky), received notice that Winchester with the left wing of 
the army had arrived at the foot of the Maumee rapids, and sooa 
afterward of the expedition to the river Raisin ; he at once pro- 
ceeded to Lower Sandusky, and on the morning of the 18th sent, 
forward a detachment of troops to the support of Winchester. 
On the 19th, Harrison started with additional troops, and on the 
morning of the 20th arrived at the Maumee rapids. The balance 
of Winchester's troops which he had left at the rapids (300 in 
number), and a regiment of Harrison's command, were also- 
hastily dispatched to French town on the evening of the 21st and 
the morning of the following day. These troops, however, were 
met soon after they started b\' some of the survivors of the con- 
flict, who told the terrible tale. It was decided by a council of 
officers that it would be needless and unwise to ])roceed farther, 
and the troops returned to the rapids. The next morning, in 
order to ])revent the possibility of being cut off from their sup- 
plies, the trooj)S retired to the Portage river, IS miles back from 
Winchester's position, after first destroying the block-house that 
had been erected, together with such provisions as they could not 
cari'Y away. Here Harrison awaited the arrival of expected re- 
inforcements of troo])s and artilleiy, which were detained by the 
heavy rains and did not put in an appearance until January 30. 



14 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

On February 1, with 1,700 men and a few pieces of artillery, 
Harrison again advanced to the foot of the rapids, where he took 
up a more commanding position than Winchester had selected. 
All troops were ordered to rendezvous at this point as quickly as 
possible, and the erection of Ft. Meigs was immediately com- 
menced. Letters regarding the defeat of Winchester were received 
by Gov. Meigs from every part of the State, and the country was 
greatly alarmed. 

THE patriotic RALLY TO HARRISOn's STANDARD, AS DESCRIBED BY 

A PARTICIPANT. 

The following, from the pen of E,ev. A. M. Lorraine, one of 
the "Virginia troops at Ft. Meigs, will prove of interest in this 
connection : 

"When the news of Hull's surrender reached the patriotic 
town of Petersburg, in Virginia, it overwhelmed the whole pop- 
ulation with indignation and sorrow. Some of the most popular 
young men, with martial music and the American ensign, paraded 
the streets, and with impassioned appeals called on their youtl:- 
ful associates to march to the rescue. The scene that followed 
was soul-thrilling to the patriot. Clerks, mechanics and students 
of medicine and law rushed to the standard, and the placid far- 
mer took the epidemic and fell in. In a few days a company of 
one hundred and four, richly uniformed, offered themselves to 
the government to serve twelve months under the banner of the 
brave Harrison, and no married man was admitted into the ranks. 

" At an early hour in the day, the company marched to 
* Center Hill,' which overlooked the town. There they were 
met by a delegation of ladies, who presented the company with a 
stand of colors, richly and tastily ornamented. Fond farewells 
were spoken, which, to many of the young men, were the last on 
earth to those they loved most dearly, and with knapsacks on 
our backs, w^e marched forth." * * * 

The first night the company camped near Warebottom 
Church, and the next day they entered Richmond, escorted by a 
detachment of troops. Here another volunteer company was or- 
ganized, and they started on the march for the Western frontier. 
On their route through Virginia they were feted and cheered in 
the most flattering manner. Passing by Monticello, they were 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 15 

given a grand reception by Thomas Jefferson. Climbing the 
Blue Eidge, they proceeded, via White Sulphur Springs, down the 
Great Kanawha, and crossing the Ohio river at Point Pleasant, 
soon reached Chillicothe, then the capital of Ohio. The leo-isla- 
ture, wiiich was then in session, gave them a grand feast, which 
was followed by one from the citizens. But now" the Indian 
summer days had passed, and the trials and hardships of a sol- 
dier's life commenced. As they left Chillicothe, a bleak north- 
wester began to blow, the rain and snow were driven in their 
faces, and the whole countiy became covered with the white 
mantle of winter. Through mud and ice and storms and swollen 
streams, they forced their way to Franldinton (a village on the 
Scioto, opposite the present city of Columbus), which was then 
the headquarters of the army. Lorraine continues: 

" For the twelve succeeding months, our tender volunteers, 
most of whom had not passed their twentieth year, were exposed 
to labors, dangers, deprivation and death, of which their youthful 
minds had never conceived. We moved on through the plat of 
Columbus, where there was at that time only one house erected — 
albeit we left Franklinton in its meridian glory. Through most 
intolerable roads and severe weather, we reached the town of 
Delaware, then a handsome village — the ultima thtole of American 
civilization, as far as our route was concerned. We passed onlv 
one cabin betw^een this town and Upper Sandusky, and the plains 
of Crawford presented but a wild waste of crusted snow, through 
which we marched with excessive labor. When we reached the 
embodied host on the Sandusky river, our little band seemed to 
mingle as an atom in the long line which at daybreak was mus- 
tered on the high banks of the river." 

At midnight, during a howling snow storm, the troops 
were aroused from slumber by a call to arms, and in a few min- 
utes they were marching through the dark, dense forest, bound 
through the Black Swamp to reinforce Harrison, who, after 
Winchester's defeat, had fallen back on the Carrying (Portao-e) 
river. Led by a guide, the whole detachment followed in Indian 
file, laden with their accouterments. It w^as a tedious, trying, des- 
perate march, which was alleviated somewhat after they struck 
Hull's road. The first day and night they marched thirty miles, 
and camped in the snow. After untold hardships they joined 



IQ Historical Sketch op Ft. Meigs. 

Gen. Harrison's command on the banks of the Portage, and the 
whole army, without loss of time, moved on to the Maumee river, 
four or five miles above Perrysburg (Winchester's old position). 
Here thev encamped for the night, and the next morning (Feb. 
2, 1813), the whole command, with their heavy ordnance and 
bao-o-aare. marched down the frozen river in solid column to the 
foot of the rapids, where they halted on an elevated and com- 
manding position. 

building of ft. MEIGS, FKBRUARY 2, 1813. 

Here it was determined to take up winter quarters, and a 
hollow square was formed on the most commanding hill. Trees 
were felled and breastworks were thrown about the whole army 
before the troops were permitted to retire to rest. Their supper 
consisted of parched corn, which had been their only subsistence 
during the entire day ; the grain had been gathered from the 
rich bottom lands in their march down the river. For several 
subsequent weeks, the troops were employed daily in digging 
trenches, felling trees, splitting logs, setting up picketing (which 
was composed of the split logs), raising blockhouses, and doing 
everything necessary to fortify the post, which originally covered 
nine acres (afterward increased to about fourteen acres), and 
which, when finished, was named "Ft. Meigs," in honor of the 
patriotic governor of Ohio. Capt.Wood, of the engineer's corps, 
superintended the construction. 

Mr. Lorraine states : " This season of fatigue was replete 
with hardships, as it was in the de])th of winter, and we suffered 
from manv privations. However, our bodies and minds were ac- 
tively employed, which rendered our Condition far preferable to 
what followed. The winter w^as unusually severe, and one un- 
fortunate sentinel was found one morning at his post frozen to 
death." 

DISPOSAL OF THE TROOPS AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE WINTER. 

Gen. Harrison's design, when he rendezvoused his army at 
the foot of the Maumee rapids, was to make a vigorous attack 
upon the British and Indians at Maiden, but he w^as prevented 
by circumstances over which he had no control. A January 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 17 

thaw had occurred which rendered roads almost impassable, and 
the trip over the ice utterly impossible. A number of wagons 
and sleds, loaded with ammunition and other munitions of war, 
were about twenty-four days making- the trip from Upper San- 
dusky to the Maumee. The period of service of the Ohio and 
Kentucky troops who first took the field expired in February, 
but they expressed themselves perfectly willing to follow Harri- 
son against the enemy without regard to the expiration of their 
term of enlistment — a terra of fourteen months. In a dispatch 
to the Secretary of War, dated " Headquarters, foot of the 
Miami Rapids, Feb. 11, 1813," Gen. Harrison says: 

"Having been joined by Gen. Leftraech, with his brigade, and 
a regiment of the Pennsylvania quota, at the Portage river, on 
the 30th ult., I marched from thence on the 1st inst., and reached 
this place on the morning of the 2d, with an effective force of 
sixteen hundred men. I have since been joined by a Kentucky 
regiment, and Gen. Tupper's Ohio brigade, which has increased 
our numbers to two thousand non-commissioned officers and pri- 
vates. * * * I have ordered the whole of the troops of the 
left wing (excepting one company for each of the six forts in that 
quarter), the balance of the Pennsylvania brigade, and the Ohio 
brigade under Gen. Tupper, and a detachment of regular troops 
of twelve-months' volunteers under command of Col. Campbell, 
to march to this place as soon as possible. * * * The disposi- 
tion of the troops for the remainder of the winter will be as fol- 
lows : A battalion of militia lately called out from this State, 
with the company of troops now at Ft. Winchester [Defiance,] 
will garrison the posts upon the waters of the Auglaize and St. 
Marys. The small blockhouses upon Hull's trace, will have a 
subaltern's command in each. A company will be placed at 
Upper Sandusky, and another at Lower Sandusky. All the rest 
of the troops will be brought to this place, amounting to from 
1,500 to 1,800 men. I am erecting here a pretty strong fort- 
capable of resisting field artillery at least. The troops will be 
placed in a fortified camp, covered on one flank by the fort. This 
is the best position that can be taken to cover the frontier, and 
the small posts in the rear of it, and those above it on the Miami 
[Maumee] and its waters. The Force placed here ought, however 
to be strong enough to encounter any that the enemy may detach 



18 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

against the forts above. Twenty-five hundred would not be too 
many. But, anxious to reduce the expenses during the winter 
within as narrow bounds as possible, I have desired the Governor 
of Kentucky not to call out (but to hold in readiness to march) 
the 1,500 men lately required of him. All the teams which have 
been hired for the public service will be discharged, and those 
belonging to the public, which are principally oxen, disposed of in 
the settlements, where forage is cheaper, and every other ar- 
rangement made which will lessen the expenses during the winter. 
Attention will still, however, be paid to the deposit of supplies 
for the ensuing campaign. Immense supplies of provisions have 
been accumulating upon the Auglaize river, and boats and 
"pirogues prepared to bring them down as soon as the river opens." 

A BOLD BUT UNSUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISE. 

On Friday, February '^26, a company of men, who had volun- 
teered their services to go upon a bold and desjierate enterprise, 
was sent out by Gen. Harrison from the fort, with instructions 
to rendezvous at a blockhouse located upon the site subsequently 
occupied by Ft. Stephenson, at Lower Sandusky, which was at 
that time the northern outpost of the military base, and garrison- 
ed by two companies of militia. The force, which was under the 
command of Capt. Langham, consisted of 220 regulars and Vir- 
ginia and Pennsylvania militia, and 22 Indians ; total, 242, besides 
guides and sled drivers. 

March 2, they left the Lower Sandusky blockhouse, with six 
days' provisions, and after proceeding about a mile down the 
Portage river, they were halted and informed by Capt. Langham 
that the object of the expedition was to cross over the frozen lake 
to Maiden, and, in the darkness of the night, destroy, with com- 
bustibles, the British fleet and the military stores upon the rivers 
bank; then retreat in their sleighs to a point on Maumee Bay, 
where they were to be met by a large force under Harrison, who 
would cover their retreat to the fort. The proximity of Indian 
and French spies rendered the enterprise exceedingly hazardous, 
and an opportunity was given to those who desired to withdraw. 
About twenty militiamen and a half-dozen Indians took advan 
tage of this liberty, and the balance continued on down the river 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 19 

in sleighs, across Sandusky Bay and the peninsula at the left, to 
the lake shore, where they encamped for the night ; being with- 
out tents they became thoroughly wet from the snow and rain, 
and thirteen of the militia, and several of the Indians, with a 
chief, turned back. In the morning they crossed the ice, a dis- 
tance of seventeen miles, to Middle Bass Island. In the afternoon 
they discovered sled tracks in the snow, leading from the direc- 
tion of Sandusky Bay toward Maiden, and it was rightly conjec- 
tured that they had been made by a couple of French spies, who 
had gone to inform the enemy. At the north of the island, the 
ice was discovered to be weak and broken up in the distance ; the 
weather continued to be very mild, and as the guides declared 
that a continuation of the trip was impracticable and sure to prove 
disastrous, they returned by way of Presque Isle, at which point 
they met Gen. Harrison witli a body of troops, and from thence 
they proceeded to Ft. Meigs in safety. On their return journey 
they found the lake open near West Sister Island. No doubt the 
expedition would have been a grand success if it could have been 
made earlier in the season, 

ADVENTURES WITH THE INDIANS. 

On March 9, the day being fine, several of the soldiers started 
from the fort, and crossing the river went down as far as Ft. 
Miami on a hunting expedition. They were discovered by a 
roving band of Indians, who fired upon them and then fled. One 
man received a leaden ball in the leaves of a Bible, which he 
carried in his breast pocket. Lieut. Walker was killed; his 
remains were recovered the next day, and buried on the parade 
ground of the fort, where they still lie. The others arrived at 
the fort unharmed. 

Early in April, a small body of Canadian French volunteers, 
who had enlisted under Harrison, were reconnoitering in a boat 
along the narrow channel north of the large island just above Ft. 
Miami, when they were attacked b}'' a band of Indians who had 
suddenly advanced to meet them in two large canoes which had 
been concealed on the shore. A desperate hand-to-hand conflict 
ensued, during which all of the whites but the commanding officer 
and two of his men were either killed or wounded, and all of the 
savages but one were slain. As the whites were returnino- to the 



20 Historical Sketch of Ft, Meigs. 

fort they saw this solitary brave sit up in one of the canoes and 
paddle feebly to the shore. 

OPENING OF THE SIEGE OF FT. MEIGS. 

Late in March, Gen. Harrison, anticipating the advance of 
the British from Maiden as soon as the ice broke up, went to the 
interior to bring forward some of tlie reserve troops, and des- 
patched Capt. Wm. Oliver with an order for the Kentucky troops: 
to hasten forward. April 12th he returned with a detachment of 
troops and applied himself earnestly to the strengthening of 
Ft. Meiirs, recoo-nizino- the fact that it must stand as the grand 
bulwark of defense for the thousands of square miles of territory 
lying between the Ohio river and the great lakes. 

On the breaking up of the ice in Lake Erie, Gen. Proctor, 
with all his available forces, moved up the left bank of the Mau- 
mee for the purpose of laying siege to Ft. Meigs. According 
to British reports, this force consisted of 500 regulars and Can- 
adian militia from Maiden and 1,500 Indians under Tecumseh (a, 
total of 2,000, afterward increased about one-half), accompanied 
by a train of battering artillery, attended by two gunboats; one 
of the battering guns was a twenty-four pounder. The main 
British camp was established at Ft. Miami. One of the Yir- 
ginia Yolunteers at Ft. Meigs, in speaking of tiiis exciting: 
period, says : 

" On the afternoon of April 26, as numbers were gathered 
together on the parade, two strangers, finely mounted, appeared 
on the opposite bank of the river, and seemed to be taking a. 
very calm and deliberate survey of our works. The circumstance- 
was a suspicious one, and in order to ascertain their business a 
messenger was sent across the river in the shape of a ball from 
one of our heavy guns, which tore up the earth about them and 
put them to a hasty liight. If that ball had struck its mark, 
much bloodshed might iuive been prevented, for we subsequently 
learned that our illustrious visitors were Pioctor and Tecumseli. 
The garrison was immediately employed in building immense 
traverses across the fort, taking down the tents and preparnig 
for a siege. The work accomplished in a few hours, under the 
excitement of the occasion, was prodigious. Tlie grand traverse 
being completed, each mess was ordered to excavate, under the: 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 21 

embankment, suitable lodgings as substitutes for tents. Those 
rooms were shot-proof and bomb-proof, except in the event of a 
shell falling in the traverse and at the mouth of a cave." These 
bomb-proofs were drained by a ditch cut through the heavy out- 
side embankment to the slope of the hill, and some of them had 
floors laid with brick, flat stones and timber. The well which 
had been commenced inside the fort was not yet completed, and 
manv men were afterward shot while engaged in the perilous 
task of suppl3nng the garrison with water from the river. Dur- 
ing the strengthening of the works, Gen. Harrison was present 
everywhere, encouraging his men in their labors. 

April 27 the enemy established three gun batteries and one 
mortar battery on the left bank of the river, directly opposite 
the fort; the present sites of the Methodist and Presbyterian 
churches in Maumee, and a point midway between them, indi- 
cate, as nearly as can be ascertained, the location of the gun bat- 
teries, and on the prominent point on the river's bank, in the 
lower part of town, the mortar battery was planted ; all were 
well protected by earthworks, which at the latter point are still 
well preserved. For some distance around the fort, on every 
side, the timber had all been cut and used in the construction of 
the stockade and blockhouses ; this open space gave free play to 
the artillery and small arms and prevented a surprise from the 
Indians. On the evening of the 2Tth, the main body of Indians 
was conveyed across the river in boats and they surrounded the 
garrison. On the 29th, the siege began in earnest, all communi- 
cation being cut off, and firing from that time continued briskly 
on both sides. Gen. Harrison gave his personal attention to 
every detail, seeming to be perfectly indifferent to the danger to 
which he exposed himself, and he met with many narrow escapes. 
According to his orders, one-third of the men were continually 
■on active duty. Many of these young heroes here had their first 
taste of battle, and they afterward received the deserved con- 
gratulations of their beloved commander for their brave gallantry 
and unshrinking devotion. A. M. Lorraine, in telling his inter- 
esting story of the siege, says : 

" One of our militia men took his station on the embank- 
ment and gratuitously forewarned us of every shot. In this he 
became so skillful that he could, in almost every case, predict the 
destination of the ball. As soon as he saw the smoke issue from 



22 Historical Sketch op Ft. Meigs. 

the muzzle of the gun, he would cry out ' shot ' or ' bomb ' as the 
case might be — ' Look out, main battery ' — ' Blockhouse No. 
1 ' — ' js^^ow for the meat house ' — ' Good-bye if you will pass.' 
The brave fellow continued to maintain his post, despite the 
expostulations of his friends, until one shot came which defied all 
his calculations. Silent, motionless, perplexed, he stood for a 
moment, and then he was swept into eternity. In his zeal, the 
unfortunate hero forgot to consider that when there was no 
obliquity in the issue of the smoke, either to the right or left, 
above or below, the fatal messenger was traveling in the direct 
line of his vision. On the most active day of the investment, as 
many as five hundred shots and bombs were hurled at our fort. 
Meantime, the Indians, from their positions in the branches of 
the nearest trees, fired incessantly at us over the stockade, but 
they were so distant that little serious execution was done, many 
of the balls falling to the ground before they reached their des- 
tination. The number killed in the fort was small considering 
the profuse expenditure of ball and powder. Many of the 
wounded had to suffer the amputation of limbs. 

" The most dangerous duty which we performed within the 
precincts of the fort was in covering the magazine. Previous to 
this the powder had been deposited in wagons and these stationed 
in the grand traverse. Here there was no security against bombs, 
and it was therefore thouglit prudent to remove the powder into 
a small blockhouse and cover it with earth. The enemy, judg- 
ing our design from our movements, now directed all their shots 
at this point, and many of their balls were red-hot. Wherever 
they struck they produced a cloud of smoke and made a frightful 
hissing. An officer, passing our quarters, said, ' Boys, who will 
volunteer to cover the magazine ? ' Fired with patriotic zeal, 
away several of us went, and as we reached the spot a ball from 
the enemy's guns took off the head of one of our party. How 
the dirt flew from the shovels in our nervous hands ! While we 
were desperately at work a bomb shell fell upon the roof, and, 
lodging in one of the braces, commenced spinning. Instantly we 
fell prostrate on our faces, and, in breathless horror, awaited the 
tremendous explosion which we expected to end our earthly 
career. Only one of the party exercised his calm reason, and 
silently argued that, as the shell had not exploded as quickly as 
usual, something might be wrong in its arrangement. In any 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 23 

event, death was inevitable if it was not extinguished, and the 
brave fellow, springing to his feet, seized a boat hook, pulled the 
hissing bomb to the ground and jerked the burning fuse from its 
socket. It was then discovered that the shell was filled with 
inflammable matter, which, if once exploded, would have spread 
flames on all around. Immediately resuming our labors, we were 
soon relieved by the welcome intelligence that the magazine was 
safe, and we could go to our lines." 

On the night of April 30, the enemy towed a gunboat up 
near the fort and fired point blank shot for some time, without 
effect, and they retired from their position as soon as it was light 
enough for them to be seen by the gunners at the fort. May 1, 
the enemy fired 256 times from their gun batteries, and their 
24-pound shot passed through the pickets Avithout displacing 
them ; eight Americans were wounded that day, and a bullet 
struck the seat on which Harrison was sitting. May 2, the enemy 
fired 457 cannon shot ; the American loss was one killed and ten 
wounded ; several were slightly injured by the Indian bullets 
fired from the trees. May 3, the fierce firing of bombs and can- 
non balls continued, at intervals, all day ; an Indian, from a tree, 
shot one man through the head, and he was in turn brought down 
by a Kentucky sharpshooter; six others were killed by bombs 
and solid shot ; the enemy fired 516 shots during the day, and 47 
at night. 

On the night of May 3, a gun and mortar battery, with 
about 200 regulars were transported on the gunboats across the 
river from the British camp at Ft. Miami, and secretly fortified 
themselves in an arm of the broad ravine which extends in a 
northeast direction from the fort. This position was about 400 
yards distant from the fort, and the earthworks which were 
erected are still to be seen near the southwest boundary of Ft. 
Meigs cemetery. The morning of the 4th opened with rain, which 
retarded the fire of the enemy. The erection of the battery in 
the ravine was soon discovered at the fort, and short traverses 
were quickly thrown up at right angles Avith the grand traverse, 
to protect the troops from their fire. At this time, Harrison re- 
ceived a summons from Proctor to surrender, the messenger 
(Major Chambers) bombastically exaggerating the means at his 
command. Gen. Harrison's historic reply was : ''Assure the gen- 
eral that he will never have this post surrendered to him upon 



24 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

any terms. Should it fall into his hands, it will be in a manner 
calculated to do him more honor, and to give him larger claims 
upon the gratitude of his government, than any capitulation 
■could possibly do." 

ARRIVAL OF REINFORCEMENTS UNDER GEN. CLAY. 

At about 12 o'clock on the night of May 4, Capt. William 
Oliver, skillfully avoiding the Indians, found his way into the 
fort after a perilous journey, with a welcome message from Gen. 
Oreen Clay, stating that he was on his way down the river with 
1,200 Kentuckians in Hat boats ; he could reach the fort in two 
hours, and had halted to await orders. Harrison immediately 
dispatched Capt. Hamilton with orders for Gen. Clay to detach 
800 men from his brigade, who were directed to land on the left 
bank of the river, one and one half miles above the fort, " march 
from thence to the British batteries, take possession of their can- 
non, spike them, cut down their carriages, return to their boats 
and cross over to the American fort." The remainder of Clay's 
force were ordered to land on the right bank and fight their way 
to the fort, while sorties were to be made from the garrison to 
aid them. Capt. Hamilton proceeded up the river in a pirogue 
and stationed a man on the right bank, one and one half miles 
above the fort, to act as a pilot to conduct Gen. Clay, with the 
last mentioned detachment, into the entrenchments ; he then 
crossed over and stationed his pirogue at the place designated for 
the other division to land. 

Havino- received his instructions. Gen. Clav moved forward 
en masse, each officer taking his position according to rank. Col. 
Dudley, being senior in command, led the van, and, with the 
troops occupying the first twelve boats, landed at the place des- 
ignated without difficulty. Gen. Cla}^, with the remainder of his 
troops (400), commenced disembarking on the right bank opposite 
Dudley's landing, but not finding the guide mentioned to him by 
Capt. Hamilton, he attempted to cross over to join Dudley; this 
being prevented by the swift current, he again attempted to land 
upon the right bank, and succeeded in doing so with only fifty of 
his men, amid a brisk fire from the enemy on shore, and made 
his way to the fort. The other boats, under command of Col. 
Boswell, were driven farther down the current, and landed on 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 25 

the left bank to join. Dudle\^ ; they were ordered back however, 
and recrossed the river to make another attempt to reach the 
fort ; after landing, the Indians attacked them but retreated, 
^nd the troops followed them up, leaving their boats, containing 
their baggage and a few sick, unprotected ; a party of savages 
made a detour, and these sick men were tomahawked and the 
baggage plundered ; a detachment of troops under Major Ball 
came to the rescue, and Boswell's command reached the fort with 
small loss. 

MASSACRE OF COL. DUDLEY'S TROOPS. 

In the meantime, Col, Dudley's command of nearly eight 
hundred men, carried out the perilous and important duty as- 
sig'ued them, but with most disastrous results to themselves. The 
following thrilling particulars of the affair are compiled from the 
account given by Lieut. Joseph R. Underwood, one of the partic- 
ipants attached to a company of Kentucky volunteers under 
Capt. John C. Morrison's command : 

'" The whole number of troops that landed amounted proba- 
bly to 700 men. We w^ere formed on the shore in three parallel 
lines, and ordered to march for the battery at right angles with 
the river. So far as I understand the plan of attack, one line 
v^as to form the line of battle in the rear of the battery parallel 
with the river ; the other two lines to form one above and one 
below the battery, at right angles to the river. The lines thus 
formed advanced as silently as possible, the object being to sur- 
prise the enemy. Before we reached the battery, however, we 
were discovered by some straggling Indians, who fired upon us 
and then retreated. Our men, pleased at seeing them run, and 
perceiving that we were discovered, no longer deemed silence 
necessary, and raised a tremendous shout. This was the first in- 
timation that the enemy received of our approach, and it so 
alarmed them that they abandoned the battery without any re- 
sistance, and the guns were successfully spiked. Capt. Morrison's 
company was formed on the river's bank above the battery. 
While passing through a hazel thicket toward the river, I saw 
Col. Dudley for the last time; he railed at me for not keeping 
my men in better line; I rei)lied that it was impossible, owing to 
the condition of the ground and the obstacles in the way. We 
halted near the river bank ; some of the enemy had got into our 



26 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

rear and were firing into us, and our company hastened to join 
the combatants at our front; falling in at the left of the regi- 
ment, we were soon in the midst of the conflict. The Indians at- 
tempted to flank us, and we drov^e them over a mile back from 
the river ; from behind trees and logs, they poured a most des- 
tructive fire into us, and we charged upon them from time to 
time. Capt. Morrison fell, shot through the temples, the ball 
cutting the optic nerve and depriving him of sight. After car- 
ing for him as well as circumstances would allow, I assumed 
command of the company. 

"At length we were ordered to fall back, keeping up a re- 
treating fire, and as soon as this was done, the Indians advanced 
with savage yells. A temporary halt was twice made, but our 
ranks were soon in confusion, and a general rout occurred ; the 
retreating army gathered about the battery and attempted to re- 
pel the onslaught. About this time, I received a ball in my back 
and was made prisoner, and informed that the whole army had 
surrendered. 

" On our way to the garrison, we were stripped of the prin- 
cipal part of our clothing and valuables. As we neared the garri- 
son at Ft. Miami, the Indians formed a line to the left of the 
road, there being a perpendicular bank on the right, near where 
the road passed. Here we were obliged to run tlie gauntlet into 
the fort, the Indians whipping, shooting and tomahawking their 
prisoners as they passed. By running as closely as possible to the 
muzzles of their guns, I escaped with the exception of some severe 
strokes over the back with their ramrods. Nearly forty Ameri- 
cans were killed in passing the line of savages. As I entered the 
ditch surrounding the garrison, the man in front of me was shot 
and I fell over his dead body; those following stumbled over us, 
and the passageway w^as thus blocked for a few moments. After 
entering the fort, the horrible tragedy was continued. A painted 
Indian mounted the dilapidated w^all and shot one of the prison- 
ers nearest him, and deliberately loading, shot again, the second 
ball giving two men a death wound; he then laid downi his gun, 
and drawing his tomahawk, leaped among the defenseless prison- 
ers and killed two others. The horror of the moment is inde- 
scribable; the excitement among the Indians w^as increasing, and 
a wholesale massacre seemed inevitable, as the weak protest of 
the British officers who were present, was entirely unavailing." 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 2T 

A British account of this terrible occurrence sa^^s : " The 
frenzy of these wretches knew no bounds, and an old veteran of 
the 41st was shot through the heart while endeavoring to wrest 
a victim from the grasp of his murderer; in all, forty of the un- 
happy prisoners were killed by the savages." 

The manner in which a sudden end was put to the tragic 
scene is thus graphically described by Witliam G. Ewing, in a 
letter to John H. James, Esq., of Urbana: "While this blood- 
thirsty carnage was raging, a thundering voice was heard in the 
rear, in the Indian tongue, and Tecumseh [on his return from the 
battle in the ravine across the river] was seen coming with all the 
rapidity his horse could carry him. Drawing near to where two 
Indians were in the act of killing one of the prisoners, he sprang 
from his horse, caught one by the throat and the other by the 
breast and threw them to the ground; drawing his tomahawk 
and scalping knife, he ran in between the Americans and Indians, 
brandishing them with the fury of a madman, and daring any of 
the hundreds who surrounded him to attempt to murder another 
prisoner. They all appeared confused and immediately desisted. 
His mind appeared rent with passion, and he exclamied, almost 
with tears in his eyes, ' Oh, what will become of my Indians ! ' 
He then demanded, in an authoritative tone, where Proctor was, 
and nervously casting his eyes about and seeing that officer at a 
short distance, he sternly inquired why he had not put a stop to 
the inhuman massacre. ' Sir,' said Proctor, ' your Indians cannot 
be commanded.' 'Begone!' retorted Tecumseh, in the greatest 
disdain ; ' you are unfit to command ; go and put on petticoats.' " 
Late in the afternoon the prisoners were placed in open boats 
and conveyed to the British ships, nine miles down the river. At 
the end of six days they w^ere all discharged on parole. The 
expedition had been a success, as far as spiking the British guns, 
was concerned, but the impetuous gallantry of these brave Ken- 
tuckians had rendered it a dearly bought one, as only about 150 
of the SCO escaped ; the balance were either killed or captured. 
Col. Dudley being among the slain. 

After Dudley had spiked the batteries, some of his men 
loitered on the bank and filled the air with cheers. Harrison and 
a group of officers who were anxiously watching them from the 
main battery, with a presentiment of the sad fate which awaited 
them, earnestly beckoned them to return, but supposing that they 



"28 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

were returning their cheers, they reiterated their shouts of 
triumph. Harrison, seeing this, exclaimed, in tones of anguish, 
^' They are lost ! Can I never teach my men the necessity of a 
strict obedience to orders T' He then offered a thousand dollars 
reward to any man who would cross the river and apprise them 
of their danger. This was undertaken by an officer, but upon his 
arrival on the shore, and before he could launch his pirogue and 
reach the middle of the river, the enemy had appeared in force 
from below. 

CAPTURE OF THE BRITISH BATTERY NEAR THE FORT. 

Just prior to the time that these tragic events were occurring 
on the left bank of the river, one more successful was transpiring 
on the opposite side, near the fort. A detachment of troops 
under Col. John Miller, of the 19th U. S. regiment, consisting of 
about 250 of the 17th and 19th regiments, 100 volunteers and 
Capt. Sebree's company of Kentuck}^ militia (total 850 men) 
left the fort for the purpose of capturing the British two-gun 
battery that had been stationed about 400 yards from the fort 
on the night of the 3d. The troops were drawn up in the small 
ravine under the southeast curtain of the fort, out of sight of the 
enemy and out of reach of their fire ; to reach the battery, after 
passing out from this ravine, it was necessary to ascend the hill 
to the right, in full view of the enemy, and pass over a plain of 
two hundred yards in width into the woods, whence they pur- 
posed making a slight detour and come onto the enemy by a 
flank movement. The battery was protected by 200 British 
regulars, two companies of Canadian militia and a large body of 
Indians under Tecumseh. After passing along the ranks, en- 
couraging his men, Gen. Harrison took a position upon the 
battery at the rear riofht angle to witness the contest. The 
troops advanced with their loaded arms trailed, and as they 
reached the summit of the hill, they received the fire of the 
British infantry, which did little harm ; the Indians fired from 
the woods with more deliberate aim, however, and did greater 
execution. After the American troops had advanced about fifty 
yards onto the plain, they halted, closed their ranks and made a 
determined charge, firing as they advanced. Many of the enemy 
were killed and the balance fled. Gen. Harrison, who had been 
•anxiously watching the result, at this juncture dispatched Major 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 29' 

Todd with fifty regulars in pursuit of the foe, and they soon re- 
turned with two officers and forty-three non-commissioned officers 
and privates as prisoners. 

RAISING OF THE SIEGE BURIAL OF THE DEAD COMPLIMENTS FROM 

GEN. HARRISON. 

From the Gtli to the 9th tliere was no firing. Flags of truce 
passed between the two armies, and an exchaiige of prisoners 
toolv phice. On the morning of the 9th (the fourteenth day after 
the commencement of hostiUties) as his Indian allies wore threat- 
eninfj- to desei't him, Proctor raised the siege and retreated with 
his troops in all possible haste to Amherstburg. After their de- 
parture, a detachment was sent out to scour the woods and 
gather up the dead. The bodies, all more or less mutilated, were 
brought in tn-eat numbers to the fort and laid out befoije one of 
the crates. The next dav thev were committed to earth with 
military honors; all the cannon were fired in slow succession, 
and their deep reveberations rolled echoing in solemn cadence 
along the yalley. The bodies of about forty-five heroes of Dud- 
ley's command were recovered and buried on the brow of the 
hill, about fifty yards northeast of the east angle of the fort. 
Their graves still remain undisturbed, covered with green sod, 
and a dead walnut tree is the only monument which marks the 
sacred spot. 

The most authentic accounts attainable estimate the British 
force under Proctor, during the siege, at 2,560 men, consisting of 
560 regulars, 8(>0 Canada militia, and 1,200 Indians. Harrison's 
force (including the troops which reached the fort on the morn- 
ing of the 5th under Gen. Clay), was 2,000, about 100 of whom 
were unfit for duty at the opening of the siege. In his official 
rejiort. Gen. Harrison states that the Indians were the most 
efficient force of the enemy. In this report he compliments his 
whole command for their efficiency, and especially mentions the 
following, on account of their meritorious service : Capt. Wood, 
commanding the corps of engineers, who superintended the con- 
struction of the fortihcations ; Maj. Stoddard, Capt. Gratiot, and 
Capt. dishing, of the artillery ; Capt. Hall, Col. Miller, Maj. Todd, 
Maj. Sodwick, Maj. Kitzer, Maj. Johnson, Adjt. Brown, Privates 
Peters, Lion and Timberlee, Sergts. Henderson, Tommes and 
Meldrum; Brig.-Gen. Clay, Col. Boswell, Maj. Fleacher; Capts. 



30 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 

Dudley, Simons, Medcalf and Sebree; the Pittsburg Blues, led 
by Lieut. McGee ; the Petersburg volunteers and Lieut. Drum's 
detachment; the detachments of the 17th and 19th U. S. regi- 
ments, under Capts. Croghan, Bradford, Langham, Elliott and 
Nering; Lieuts. Campbell, Gwynn, Lee, Kercheval and Bees; 
Ensigns Shep, Hawkins, Harrison, Mitchell and Stockton; the 
members of his staff; Maj. Hukill, acting Inspector General, 
Majs. Graham and J. Johnson, Lieut. O' Fallon and deputy quar- 
termaster Eubank. The General adds, referring to Dudley's 
command : " It rarely occurs that a general has to complain of 
the excessive ardor of his men, yet such appears always to be the 
case whenever the Kentucky militia are engaged ; it is, indeed, 
the source of all their misfortunes ; Dudley unsuccessfully at- 
tempted to restrain their rash ardor; such temerity is scarcely 
less fatal, although not so disgraceful, as cowardice." 

Among those, also, who performed distinguished services 
under Harrison, were Peter Navarre and his brothers, Capt. Wm. 
Oliver, Capt. Leslie Coombs, Capt. McCune and James Doolan, 
who were employed as scouts. Peter ISTavarre was born in 
Detroit in 1796, and lived near the shore of Maumee Bay until 
his death. 

The official returns of the killed and wounded at the siege of 
Ft. Meigs, and the several sorties of May 5 (not including those 
killed under Dudley), are as follows: Killed, 81; wounded, 189; 
total, 270 ; of these, 17 were killed and 65 wounded within the 
fortification. 

Among the killed, not heretofore mentioned, was Lieut. Mc- 
Cullough, who was shot while conversing with General Harrison. 
His remains lie buried beside those of Lieut. Walker, on the 
parade ground of the fort, 

the second siege of ft. MEIGS. 

After the raising of the siege at Ft. Meigs, Gen. Harrison 
repaired the damage occasioned by the enemy's guns, and ma- 
terially strengthened his position. Upon his recommendation 
the plan of the campaign had been changed ; vessels were being 
built at Erie and Cleveland, and until these were ready it was 
determined to act upon the defensive. May 12th he departed for 
the interior to push the recruiting service and prepare for the 
approaching campaign, leaving Gen. Green Clay in command of 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 31 

the fort. July 20, the enemy was discovered ascending the 
river, and a party of ten men were surprised by the Indians, only 
three escaping death or capture. The number of troops wi^h 
which Gen. Proctor had returned to subjugate the little garrison 
at Ft. Meigs was estimated at 5,000, including the largest band 
of Indians under Tecuniseh that had ever assembled together 
during the war. 

The night of their arrival. Gen. Clay dispatched Capt. 
McCune, of the Ohio militia, to Gen. Harrison, at Lower San- 
dusky, to notify him of the presence of the enemy. After deliv- 
erino- his uiessage, Capt. McCune was ordered to return to the 
fort and instruct Gen. Clay to guard carefully against surprise, 
and he would have reinforcements there as soon as possible. 
Gen. Harrison also sent an order to Gen. McArthur to come with 
as many troops as he could muster, saying that the force at Ft. 
Meigs was too weak for anything but defensive operations, un- 
less promptly reinforced. 

Capt. McCune was sent out the second time with informa- 
tion to Gen. Harrison that a body of Indians were passing up 
the Maumee to attack Ft. Winchester (Defiance). The General, 
however, believed this movement of the enemy to be a ruse to 
cover their designs upon Upper and Lower Sandusky and Cleve- 
land, and, after sending out a reconnoitering party to watch, he 
sent Capt. McCune back to the fort to report. The latter was 
accompanied on his return by James Doolan, a celebrated French 
Canadian scout ; on arriving near the fort, about daybreak, they 
encountered the Indians and met with some exciting adventures 
and hair-breadth escapes before finally arriving safely within the 
enclosure; by listening they had obtained some valuable in- 
formation regarding Tecumseh's plans, which proved of great 
value to the garrison. 

On the evening of July 26, the British infantry secreted 
themselves in the ravine below the fort, the cavalry were in the 
adjacent woods, and the Indians were stationed in the forest 
near the Lower Sandusky road, about half a mile southeast from 
the fort. About dark they commenced a sham battle among 
themselves to deceive the Americans into the belief that a des- 
perate conflict was transpiring between them and the expected 
reinforcements, in the hopes of enticing the garrison to the aid of 
their comrades ; if the ruse proved successful, the British infantry 



32 Historical Sketch op Ft. Meigs. 

and cavalry were to make a dash from their conceahnent on the- 
left, thus cutting them off from retreat and capturing- the fort. 
It was a cunning stratagem, and, had it not been met with equal 
cunning, the result of the war in the Northwest would probably 
have been different. 

At the first sound of the supposed conflict, the garrison flew 
to arms; Gen. Clay ordered them to keep a keen watch, awaiting 
developments, but not to leave the fort. As the roar of musketry, 
minoled with the piercing savage yells increased, the troops in- 
sisted on being allowed to hasten to the rescue ; it seemed to them 
that the lives of their beloved commander Harrison and their brave 
comrades were being sacrificed, while they stood idly by without 
raising a helping hand. It was a trying moment; Gen. Clay's 
explanation of the affair did not half satisfy them ; some of the 
officers sided in opinion with the troops, and it was only their 
confidence in the courage and good judgment of Gen. Clay that 
prevented open insubordination and their destruction. 

After keeping up a brisk firing and yelling for about half an 
hour, a shower of rain commenced falling and the firing gradually 
ceased. Before this, however, from the fact that no American 
troops could be seen endeavoring to reach the fort, the garrison 
were fully convinced of the deception. Finding their cunning 
ruse a failure, and fearing the arrival of large reinforcements, the 
enemy remained about the fort but one day longer, and on July 
28 embarked, with their stores, down the lake. Thus closed the 
second siege of Ft. Meigs, triumphantly to the American arms. 

IMPORTANT EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE SIEGE OF FT. MEIGS. 

Having raised the siege of Ft. Meigs, the British sailed 
around into Sandusky bay, while a large force of their Indian 
allies marched overland to co operate with them in an attack on 
Lower Sandusky, anticipating that the attention of the American 
troops would be directed toward Ft. Meigs and Defiance. Harri- 
son had taken the precaution, however, of keeping patrols down 
the bay near the mouth of the Portage, who informed him of the 
enemy's arrival. On the 29th he received intelligence from Gen. 
Clay of what had transpired, and immediately called a council of 
war with McArthur, Cass, B'all, Paul, Wood, Hukill, Holmes and 
Graham, who decided that, as Ft. Stephenson at Lower Sandusky 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 33 

was a comparatively unimportant point, and that the defenses 
were too small to accommodate a garrison of over 200 troops, 
they would not reinforce the place, but destroy it and withdraw 
Major Croghan and his little band who were stationed there. An 
order to this effect was sent to the latter ; before it reached him, 
however, the country was infested with the savages, and the 
determination was made to hold the fort or die. The British 
troops were landed soon afterward ; a demand to surrender was 
refused and the subsecjuent successful defense of Ft. Stephenson 
was one of the most gallant and heroic in the history of the nation. 
Speaking of Maj. Croghan, in his official report of the affair, 
Gen. Harrison said : '' It will not be among the least of Gen. 
Proctors mortifications, that he has been baffled by a youth who 
has just passed his twenty-first year. He is a hero worthy of his 
gallant uncle. Gen, Geo. R. Clarke." Maj. Croghan was brevetted 
Lieutenant-Colonel by the President for his gallantry. 

The defense of Ft. Stephenson, which occurred Aug. 2, 1813, 
was followed, on Sept. 10, by (Commodore Perry's victory at Put- 
in-Bay— one of the most brilliant naval affairs in the history of 
any nation. 

This victory removed the principal barrier to the commence- 
ment of active operations toward the recovery of the Michigan 
territory, and immediate steps were taken for an advance to Mai- 
den, and the troops (nearly 7,000) rendezvoused at the mouth of 
the Portage. Sept. 17, Gov. Shelby arrived there with 4,000 
Kentuckians; Gen. Cass, with his brigade, came to Upper San- 
dusky ; Col. Plill came with a regiment of Pennsylvania volun- 
teers from Erie ; on Sept. 20, Gen. McArthur came with his 
brigade from Ft. Meigs, leaving Col. Johnson's mounted regiment 
there as a oarrison, with orders to subsequently march to Detroit 
by land. The troops were conveyed to Putin-Bay in boats ; on 
Sept. 25 they re-embarked for the Canadian shore, and on the 
27th entered Maiden, without encountering either British troops 
or Indians, who had retreated ; the enemy continued their retreat 
from before Detroit, and on the 29th, the victorious Americans 
marched into that town ; on the 30th, Col. Johnson's mounted rifle 
regiment arrived from Ft. Meigs. Oct. 2, the Americans com- 
menced their pursuit of Proctor, whom they overtook and 
defeated in the battle of the Thames, Oct. 5, which practically 
closed the war in the northwest. 




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DESCRIPTIVE. 



I 



PRESENT OUTLOOK FROM THE OLD FORT, AND ITS GENERAL APPEARANCE. 

^l^T. Meigs occupies a level plateau, located on the southeast 
f^ bank of the Mauniee, sixty feet above the water, about one- 
•■^jy-' half mile above Perrysburg. Standing on its breezy height, 
the vision extends for a range of over twenty miles up and down 
the valley. The location was no doubt originally selected as a 
site for the fort on account of its expansive outlook, as well as its 
strong natural defenses, for certainly there is no spot in the State, 
or in the territory for many miles west and northwest, that will 
favorably compare with it as a point of extensive observation and 
scenic beauty. From above for many miles the silvery waters are 
seen, sparkling and flashing in their rapid flow over their rocky 
bed, winding among the pretty green islands and past the rich 
bottom lands, covered with ripening grain. 

At the foot of the fort the rapids end, and the head of 
steam navigation commences. The river continues its winding 
way among the islands and bottom lands, but widens perceptibly 
after leaving the fort. The banks are lined with groups of native 
forest trees, thrifty orchards and vineyards and pretty residences. 
Ten miles below, over a low-lying headland, the church spires and 
many of the lofty buildings in the growing city of Toledo, come 
into view. 

As one stands upon the old fort and drinks in this beautiful 
vision, he is overcome with sympathizing pity for the savage 
natives who named the river the " Mother of Waters," and to 



36 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs, 

whom it was so fondly endeared that many brave lives were 
sacrificed in struggling to retain it from the grasp of the white 



man. 



Tlie outlook from Ft. Meigs embraces many miles in extent, 
and everv foot of the soil within range of the vision has been 
made sacred by deeds of heroism in the history of the country. A 
broad ravine, leading from the fort on the right, affords a glimpse 
of the pretty town of Perrysburg, half hidden by the luxuriant 
trees which line its broad avenues, and on the brow of a small 
arm of the ravine are still to be seen the outlines of a British bat- 
tery which did terrible execution during the siege, and was gal- 
lantly captured. In the foreground, a few rods from the fort, on 
a o-reen hill-top, is the burial spot of forty-five of Dudley's brave 
command, whose graves have never been disturbed. To the left 
of this ravine, leading toward the river, twenty rods from the fort, 
is an elevated, narrow point known as '" Indian Hill, "where Gen. 
Harrison located an advance picket guard ; it was the site of an 
extensive Indian cemetery, which fact gav^e it its name. 

One mile down the river on the opposite side,, is the village 
of Miami — the site of Ft. Miami, occupied by the British General 
Proctor during the siege. Across the river, opposite Ft. Meigs, 
is the town of Maumee, famous in historic lore ; occupying a 
prominent position on a bluff bank, in the lower part of town, 
were located the British mortar batteries during the unpleasant- 
ness, and the outlines are still distinctly visible; on the site of the 
Presbyterian and M. E. Churches were planted tlie main British 
gun batteries which did such terrible execution, and were captur- 
ed by Col. Dudley's gallant command. About two miles above 
Maumee is Presque Isle Hill, the scene of the " Battle of Fallen 
Timbers." 

PRESENT APPEARANCE OF FT. MEIGS. 

Many of the heroes who defended Ft. Meigs in 1813, have 
visited the spot in late years, and have expressed their surprise 
that the original contour of the fort has been so well preserved. 
This is accounted for by the fact that a luxuriant and tenacious 
sod has preserved the embankments from the effect of storm and 
rain, and the proprietor of the domain and the patriotic citizens 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Mekjs. 37 

of the community have prevented the sacred soil lvo\n being 
disturbed. 

The fort proper covers a space of about fourteen acres. As 
one stands upon the ground, the most prominent feature is the 
grand traverse, extending nearly parallel with the river, from the 
northeast extremity of the fort, a distance of 1,100 feet, to the 
main entrenchments at the opposite point. It was originally 
built 20 feet wide and 12 feet high ; it has since settled about 3 
feet, but otherwise still retains its original shape and proportions, 
and is covered with green sod. This huge embankment was built 
as a place of retreat, in the event of any of the outer works being 
taken by storm, and shorter traverses were also erected at right 
angles with it from the brow of the hill and the opposite side, 
extending southward, as a protection from a flank movement of 
the enemy. Five openings are to be seen in the grand traverse 
(four of them about twelve feet in width), which were originally 
covered with massive timber gates, through which the troops and 
the artillery passed ; the one nearest the northeast end was larger 
than the others, having double gates opening directly onto the 
military road leading from the fort to Lower Sandusky (now 
Fremont). 

Outside of the grand traverse toward the river bank, about 
live rods distant from this double gateway, the well which sup- 
plied the garrison with water was located. It has long since been 
almost entirely filled up, still, however, leaving a deep depression. 
The spot is marked by a white oak post extending about eight 
feet out of the ground. This is the end of a stick of timber sixty 
feet long, brought from Swanton two weeks prior to the great 
celebration of 1840, as a contribution from the patriotic citizens 
of that community toward the erection of a log cabin on the fort 
in honor of the hero of the hour. Gen. Harrison, who was then 
the Whig candidate for President. During the night after its 
arrival, some mischievous young men of Democratic proclivities 
in the neighborhood upended the stick and dropped it to the bot- 
tom of the well, defiantly planting a hickory bush in the top of 
it ; there the timber has since remained. 

At the east angle of the fort (fronting the large ravine 
where the British three-gun battery was planted), and extending 
filong the north line of the fort, bordering the brow of the hill 



38 Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs, 

facing the British batteries across the river, the most formidable 
earthworks were constructed, and the solid ramparts with their 
bastions, curtains, etc., are well preserved, although settled 
materially from their original proportions. The outlines of the 
blockhouses and battery parapets can be traced very readily. 

A line of heavy timber stockades originally extended around 
the entire encampment : on the north and east line, where the 
heaviest earthworks were erected, this stockade was placed just 
below the brow of the hill, and the tops of the pickets projected 
outward at an angle of about forty-five degrees, in the shape of a 
cheval de-f rise. For some distance along the brow of tlie bank, 
to the right of the west angle of the fort, there was a double 
row of these pickets, and the double row also continued from this 
point to the left until it joined the heavy earthworks to the right 
of the east angle, where the single row again commenced. Out- 
side and close to the foot of the stockade on the brow of the hill, 
300 sycamore barrels, sections of hollow sycamore trees, cut in 
lengths of five or six feet and filled with gravel and sand, were 
held to their places by ropes from inside. The intention was to 
cut these loose to be hurled down the steep bluff in the event of 
a storming party attempting to take the fort by assault. There 
were three outer gates to this stockade, for the passage of troops 
and teams — one, at a roadway leading down to the river from 
about the center of the line running along the brow of the hill, 
tlirough Avhich the garrison was, for a time, supplied with water; 
one, to the right of the south angle of the fort, where the forges 
and repair shops were located ; one, to the right of the east angle, 
on the military road leading to Lower Sandusky. The line of 
these stockades can be followed, in many places, distinctly by the 
depressions in the ground caused by their decay ; time, however, 
has destroyed every vestige of the stockade itself, excepting the 
decayed stumps under the surface. 

At tiie southwest extremity of the fort was the main defense, 
constructed after the outer ramparts had all been completed 
(probably between the first and second sieges). After it was 
finished, the officers' quarters, store-houses and magazine were 
moved into it from the opposite end of the fort. The first and 
second locations of the magazines are marked by mounds, each 
about three feet high and twenty feet in diameter. The well 



Historical Si^e'Tch op P't. Meios. 39 

defined outlines of this main defense are portrayed in the accom- 
panying iUnstrations. It was in the shape of a parallelogram, 
the east and west lines being 230 and the north and south lines 
190 feet in length, measuring from the outer corners. At each 
angle there were strong blockhouses which were connected 
together from their inner corners by a stout timber palisade. 
Outside of the pickets and around the blockhouses was a glacis 
or wall of earth about eight feet thick, sloping outward from the 
feet of the pickets, covered with heavy facines, extending to a 
ditch, originally about fifteen feet wide and eight feet deep. 
Near the blockhouse at the north angle of this stronghold, on 
the brow of the hill, was the main battery, where Harrison stood 
watching the movements of Dudley's men over the river. 

On the parade ground, about midway between the grand 
traverse and the outer extremity of the fort at the brow of the 
hill, is the officers' burial ground. Lieut. Walker's grave was 
surrounded by a neat picket fence and marked by a headstone, 
erected to his memory by his friends ; these, however, have long 
since disappeared, the latter having been carried off piece-meal 
by relic-hunters. The small tract in the south part of the fort, 
dedicated principally as a burial place for the "Pittsburg Blues," 
has been staked off and never disturbed. The field on the river's 
bank, southwest of the fort — the burial ground of the garrison — 
is still enveloped by the green sod which first covered it. 

When the fort was built the timber was cut down on every 
side for a quarter of a mile or more, in order to prevent surprise 
from the Indians, and also to give unobstructed range to the can- 
non which defended the fort. The large, handsome trees in the 
pretty ravine east of the fort have all grown up since the date 
of the siege. 

Immediately after the close of the war, the town of Orleans 
of the North (located on the bottom lands, between Ft. Meigs 
and the river) became quite an important frontier point ; the town 
of Perrysburg was laid out by the government, however, on the 
elevated banks below, in 1816, and the once pretentious village 
of Orleans became a thing of the past ; it is now known only in 
history, with nothing to mark the spot where it once existed. 
The fort was then garrisoned by forty soldiers under a lieuten- 
ant ; they were withdrawn in May, 1815, and the four heavy can- 



40 Historical Sketch op Ft. Meigs. 

non which were there, and the military stores, were taken to 
Detroit by Capt. Jacob Wilkison, in the schooner Black Snake. 
Since that time, Ft. Meigs has been left to the sole care of those 
who owned the estate upon which it is located. 

KEUNION OF VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1812 AT FT. MEIGS. 

In June, 1870, there was an excursion of veterans of the war 
of 1812 to Ft. Meigs, and quite a number were in attendance. 
The reception given them by the citizens of Perrysburg was gov- 
erned by the most unbounded hospitality and reverence for the 
old heroes, many of whom were then in the neighborhood of So 
years of age. At the head of tiie column which marched to the 
fort was borne an old flag which had waved over tlie battle- 
ments during the siege. It was torn and stained with the smoke 
of battle, and on its lower border was inscribed in gilt letters, "2d 
Com'd, 1st Squad, 3d Brigade, 1st Div., O. Militia." It was 
owned by David McChesney, of Warren County, O., and was in 
charge of his father-in-law, Col. Irvine, during the war. Forty- 
four of the old heroes w^ere present upon this interesting occasion, 
among whom were the following : Gen, Leslie Coombs, one of 
Dudley's men who successfully ran the gauntlet ; Peter j^avarre, 
Harrison's celebrated scout ; Col. Chas. S. Todd, Harrison's aid- 
de-camp, and others more or less distinguished. 

From these veterans, at the time of their reunion on the old 
fort, was obtained much of the information contained in the 
foregoing description. Unfortunately the only plan of Ft. Meigs 
on file in the War Department at Washington is a sketch made 
by Joseph H. Larwell, July 19, 1813 (the day prior to the open- 
ing of the second siege), which is manifestly, in part, incorrect, 
although reproduced and adopted by Lossing in his ''Field Book 
of the War of 1812-15," by Henry Howe, in his Ohio Historical 
Collections, and by H. S. Knapp, in his history of the Maumee 
Yalley. The accompanying diagram is drawn from descriptions 
given by old soldiers under Harrison, who participated in the 
siege, and from an inspection of the outlines, as they still exist. 

An earnest and well directed effort is being made by the 
people of Northwestern Ohio, and by prominent citizens in every 
portion of the State, to locate upon the site of the old fort, a 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Meigs. 



41 



Soldiers' Memorial Home. The location, considered with a view 
of its hyoienic and other practical qualifications, is eminently 
fitted for the purpose, and sucli a monument would be the most 
appropriate that could be erected to perpetuate the deeds of valor 
here enacted, and permanently preserve from spoliation the beau- 
tiful and sacred sjiot where our fathers won their laurels. In 
this, Ohio will be warmly joined by the substantial sympathy of 
the patriotic citizens of her sister States — particularly those of 
Kentucky, Virginia and Pennsylvania, whose noble sons lie 
buried there, side by side with their Ohio comrades, in unmarked 
ofraves. • 





THE FORT MEIGS MEMORIAL HOME. 



By Euphike C. Tompkins. 



As we sit oil the emerald earpet, tinder the whispering trees, 
And gaze down the beautiful river, kissed by the lightsome breeze. 
Over the grassy meadows, the wheat fields yellow and ripe, 
^Mellowing in the distance to a green and golden strii>e. 
The scene is a summer jdeture and I open my history book, 
And the friend beside me answers, as adown the page I look : 



'Yes. this is the place where Harrison with his little band of men, 
Stood fire from belching Briti.sh guns and hurled it back again. 
And Proctor had his red coats there, drawn up in fierce array. 
And bold Tecumseh's savages were allies in the fray ; 
Red-handed from the vine-hung banks of Raisin's bloody tide. 
They thirsted for more ma.ssacre, and watched on every side 
From thicket-brtish, from tojis of trees, to hurl the murderous shol- 
And still the stubborn fortress stood— the patriots faltered not. 

" 'Surrender !' came the haughty word ; swift Hew the answer back, 

' If you capture us, Sir Briton, the victory shall not lack 

The honor of a Bieeting, face to face, and hilt to hilt. 

With your men ttpon the ramparts and many a heart's blood spilt.' 



" Three days without cessation, the sweet May air was rife 
With thunder of the cannon and moans of parting life. 
Then floating down the river came staunch Kentucky men, 
Twelve hundred strong— on flat boats— and hope grew strong again. 
And where the bees are humming in clover white and sweet 
There gallant Clay made landing with his welcome southern fleet. 
And oh ! what fire raked them from the mad Miami guns. 
And oh ! with what defiance marched up those fearless ones. ' 



Historical Sketch of Ft. Mekjs. 43 

"And there swept Colonel Dudley with his dauntless, lighting l)aud, 
Keen-eyed and lion-hearted to answer the command 
' Charge, bayonets !' O river, murmuring to the flowery shore ; 
Can you tell us Just how many smote the dust to rise no more? 
But the foeman lied in terror, and tlie iiatriots on their track 
Thus were led iiitd an ambush, whence there was no turning back. 

•' Fatal error ! quick surrounded, there they yielded up their lives, 

Cleft by savage battle-axes and the whetted scalping knives. 

" 'Stay the slaughter!' cried Tecumseh, rushing on the dreadful scene 

(For that order lay one laurel on his dust, and keep it green). 

Down the southern bank, Clay's soldiers charged the worsted foe again, 

Spiked their guns and took their batteries, and made captives of their men. 

Nine long days ere stubliorn Proctor owned the whipping he had got, 

Moved his camp and marched his soldiers to a safe and sheltered spot. 

" What was gained ? Forever after that decisive victory. 

Fear of the revengeful .savage faded from the old Maumee, 

Tliey had turned the name to terror all along the wooded shore ; 

Day and night the vigil ceased not— loaded rifle— guarded door. 

Day and night the wild cry sounded, homes fell to a smoldering heap. 

Wives were widowed, men were tortured, children murdered in their sleep 

"Now the heavy cloud was lifted, and the wary savage foe 
Shrank away from Fnglisli friendship that Init added to their woe. 
Then there dawned for fair Miami first rays of the coming morn, 
.And the poor man's stumpy acres blossomed into fields of corn." 

Thus ended my history lesson, and every pulse was stirred 

By the beautiful scene before me and what I had read and heard. 

And there on the blood-rich soil by the .storied river-flow 

Let us rear a memory token for seventy years ago. 

O, wise Ohio statesmen ! could ye do a fitter deed 

Thau build in strength and beauty for days of age and need 

A rest for homeless soldiers who on the land and wave 

Made offer of their own lives their country's life to save? 

A monument of meaning from base to crowning dome. 

And be its name recorded— "Fort Meigs Memorial Home." 



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